Abstract

BackgroundChanges of land cover modify the characteristics of habitat, host-vector interaction and consequently infection rates of disease causing agents. In this paper, we report variations in tsetse distribution patterns, abundance and infection rates in relation to habitat types and age in the Maasai Steppe of northern Tanzania. In Africa, Tsetse-transmitted trypanosomiasis negatively impacted human life where about 40 million people are at risk of contracting the disease with dramatic socio-economical consequences, for instance, loss of livestock, animal productivity, and manpower.MethodsWe trapped tsetse flies in dry and wet seasons between October 2014 and May 2015 in selected habitats across four villages: Emboreet, Loiborsireet, Kimotorok and Oltukai adjacent to protected areas. Data collected include number and species of tsetse flies caught in baited traps, PCR identification of trypanosome species and extraction of monitored Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS).ResultsOur findings demonstrate the variation of tsetse fly species abundance and infection rates among habitats in surveyed villages in relation to NDVI and host abundance. Results have shown higher tsetse fly abundance in Acacia-swampy ecotone and riverine habitats for Emboreet and other villages, respectively. Tsetse abundance was inconsistent among habitats in different villages. Emboreet was highly infested with Glossina swynnertoni (68%) in ecotone and swampy habitats followed by G. morsitans (28%) and G. pallidipes (4%) in riverine habitat. In the remaining villages, the dominant tsetse fly species by 95% was G. pallidipes in all habitats. Trypanosoma vivax was the most prevalent species in all infected flies (95%) with few observations of co-infections (with T. congolense or T. brucei).ConclusionsThe findings of this study provide a framework to mapping hotspots of tsetse infestation and trypanosomiasis infection and enhance the communities to plan for effective control of trypanosomiasis.

Highlights

  • Changes of land cover modify the characteristics of habitat, host-vector interaction and infection rates of disease causing agents

  • The epidemiology of trypanosomiasis is driven by the transmission of multiple species of protozoa of the genus Trypanosoma by various species of vectors, human and livestock hosts, and a large number of wild animal species that act as the major reservoir hosts [1, 2]

  • Abundance of tsetse among habitats and across villages during extensive survey A total of 1483 tsetse flies were caught in all surveyed villages, of which 1213 were Glossina pallidipes, 150 were G. morsitans, and 124 were G. swynnertoni

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Summary

Introduction

Changes of land cover modify the characteristics of habitat, host-vector interaction and infection rates of disease causing agents. The epidemiology of trypanosomiasis is driven by the transmission of multiple species of protozoa of the genus Trypanosoma by various species of vectors, human and livestock hosts, and a large number of wild animal species that act as the major reservoir hosts [1, 2]. In Africa, tsetse-transmitted trypanosomiasis negatively impacted human life where about 40 million people are at risk of contracting the disease with dramatic socio-economical consequences, for instance, loss of livestock, animal productivity and manpower [3, 4]. Gambian trypanosomiasis is a chronic infection which accounts for 98% human reported cases, whereas, T. b. rhodesiense has the potential for epidemic outbreaks in humans [12, 13]

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